dailycaller
Chris White
Energy Reporter
1:20 PM 12/20/2017
[excerpt]
http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/20/methane-emissions-from-oil-and-gas-are-plummeting-without-govt-regulations/Methane emissions from natural gas wells have dropped during the past six years, even as activists and lawmakers argue that stringent regulations are required to tackle what they believe are sky-high emission levels.
Emissions from onshore natural gas production tumbled nearly 14 million metric tons between 2011 and 2016, according to a report from Energy In Depth, which analyzed data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. The data also found that levels had decreased even as natural gas production increased.
In the San Juan Basin, an area located in parts of New Mexico and Colorado, emissions fell by 47 percent since 2011. Activists frequently claim that San Juan’s methane hot spot releases are reason enough for bulking up rules governing emissions.